Concentration determination apparatus, concentration determination method, and program for concentration determination

Abstract

A concentration determination apparatus compares a degree of concentration on driving with a first criterion when a location of a traveling vehicle is within a first area different from a dangerous area, and compares the degree of concentration on driving with a second criterion higher than the first criterion when the location of the traveling vehicle is within a second area corresponding to the dangerous area, and outputs an instruction signal for supporting the driver when the location of the traveling vehicle is within the second area and the degree of concentration on driving does not satisfy the second criterion.

1 . A concentration determination apparatus, comprising a processor configured with a program to perform operations comprising:
 operation as a monitoring data obtaining unit configured to obtain monitoring data about a driver of a vehicle;   operation as an estimation unit configured to estimate a degree of concentration of the driver on driving based on the monitoring data;   operation as a determiner configured to determine whether a location of the traveling vehicle is within a dangerous area;   operation as a comparison unit configured to compare the degree of concentration on driving with a first criterion when the location of the traveling vehicle is within a first area different from the dangerous area, and compare the degree of concentration on driving with a second criterion higher than the first criterion when the location of the traveling vehicle is within a second area corresponding to the dangerous area; and   operation an output unit configured to output an instruction signal for supporting the driver when the location of the traveling vehicle is within the second area and the degree of concentration on driving does not satisfy the second criterion based on a determination result from the determiner and a comparison result from the comparison unit.   
     
     
         2 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 when the location of the traveling vehicle is within a third area immediately preceding the second area in a traveling direction of the vehicle, the processor is configured to perform operations such that the comparison unit compares the degree of concentration on driving with a third criterion higher than the first criterion and lower than the second criterion, and   when the location of the traveling vehicle is within the third area and the degree of concentration on driving does not satisfy the third criterion, the processor is configured to perform operations such that the output unit outputs the instruction signal before the vehicle reaches the second area.   
     
     
         3 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second criterion includes a criterion for a predetermined daytime period and a criterion for a predetermined nighttime period higher than the criterion for the predetermined daytime period, and   the processor is configured to perform operations such that the comparison unit compares the degree of concentration on driving with the criterion for the predetermined daytime period when a current date and time is within the predetermined daytime period, and compares the degree of concentration on driving with the criterion for the predetermined nighttime period when the current date and time is within the predetermined nighttime period.   
     
     
         4 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second criterion includes a criterion for weekdays and a criterion for Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays higher than the criterion for weekdays, and   the processor is configured to perform operations such that the comparison unit compares the degree of concentration on driving with the criterion for weekdays when a current date and time is within a weekday, and compares the degree of concentration on driving with the criterion for Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays when the current date and time is within any one of Saturday, Sunday, and a holiday.   
     
     
         5 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second criterion includes a plurality of criteria for degrees of congestion around the vehicle, and   the processor is configured to perform operations such that the comparison unit compares the degree of concentration on driving with one of the criteria included in the second criterion in accordance with a degree of congestion around the vehicle.   
     
     
         6 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 1 , the processor is configured with the program to perform operations further comprising:
 operation as a map data obtaining unit configured to obtain map data including road environment information; and   operation as an identification unit configured to identify the dangerous area based on the road environment information included in the map data.   
     
     
         7 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the dangerous area includes at least one of an area including a railroad crossing, an area including a sharp curve, an area including a junction, an area including an intersection with poor visibility, an area including a road section without a boundary marking between a sidewalk and a roadway, and an area including a road section with heavy pedestrian traffic.   
     
     
         8 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 1 , the processor is configured with the program to perform operations further comprising:
 operation as a map data obtaining unit configured to obtain map data including predefined information indicating a location of the dangerous area; and   operation as an identification unit configured to identify the dangerous area based on the information included in the map data and indicating the location of the dangerous area.   
     
     
         9 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 1 , the processor is configured with the program to perform operations further comprising:
 operation as an exterior image data obtaining unit configured to obtain exterior image data representing a captured exterior view from the vehicle; and   operation as an identification unit configured to identify the dangerous area based on the exterior image data.   
     
     
         10 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the second criterion includes a criterion for a predetermined daytime period and a criterion for a predetermined nighttime period higher than the criterion for the predetermined daytime period, and   the processor is configured to perform operations such that the comparison unit compares the degree of concentration on driving with the criterion for the predetermined daytime period when a current date and time is within the predetermined daytime period, and compares the degree of concentration on driving with the criterion for the predetermined nighttime period when the current date and time is within the predetermined nighttime period.   
     
     
         11 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the second criterion includes a criterion for weekdays and a criterion for Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays higher than the criterion for weekdays, and   the processor is configured to perform operations such that the comparison unit compares the degree of concentration on driving with the criterion for weekdays when a current date and time is within a weekday, and compares the degree of concentration on driving with the criterion for Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays when the current date and time is within any one of Saturday, Sunday, and a holiday.   
     
     
         12 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the second criterion includes a plurality of criteria for degrees of congestion around the vehicle, and   the processor is configured to perform operations such that the comparison unit compares the degree of concentration on driving with one of the criteria included in the second criterion in accordance with a degree of congestion around the vehicle.   
     
     
         13 . The concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 2 , the processor is configured with the program to perform operations further comprising:
 operation as a map data obtaining unit configured to obtain map data including road environment information; and   operation as an identification unit configured to identify the dangerous area based on the road environment information included in the map data.   
     
     
         14 . A concentration determination method, comprising:
 obtaining monitoring data about a driver of a vehicle;   estimating a degree of concentration of the driver on driving based on the monitoring data;   determining whether a location of the traveling vehicle is within a dangerous area;   comparing the degree of concentration on driving with a first criterion when the location of the traveling vehicle is within a first area different from the dangerous area, and comparing the degree of concentration on driving with a second criterion higher than the first criterion when the location of the traveling vehicle is within a second area corresponding to the dangerous area; and   outputting an instruction signal for supporting the driver when the location of the traveling vehicle is within the second area and the concentration degree does not satisfy the second criterion.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for concentration determination causing a computer to perform operations as the units included in the concentration determination apparatus according to  claim 1 .